The project is primarily concerned with the synthesis of delta-dicarbonyl monosacharides and their cyclization to multifunctional cyclohexanones. These latter compounds will then be converted to branched-chain cyclitol derivatives whose physiological activity will be studied. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: D.E. Kiely and L. Benzing-Nguyen, "Oxidiation of Carbohydrates with Chromic Acid. Synthesis of 6-Acetamido-6-Deoxy-D -xylo-hexos-5-ulose", J. Org. Chem., 40, 2630 (1975). D.E. Kiely and W.R. Sherman, "A Chemical Model for the Cyclization Step in the Biosynthesis of L-myo-inositol 1-Phosphate", J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 97, 6810 (1975).